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United States Patent | 5,293,436 |
Diemeer | March 8, 1994 |
The invention relates to an integrated optical device which comprises an adjustable Mach-Zehnder interferometer. The waveguide structure of the device is fabricated on the basis of polable unpoled material, the material in one (2) of the branches (2, 3) of the MZ interferometer being poled in a certain area (7). In the case of maximum poling in advance, the degree of poling of the poled material can subsequently be adjusted under conditions of accelerated thermal relaxation. Advantage: the device can first be fabricated, as far as its structure is concerned, using fabrication techniques which are standard for the selected material without additional attention to correct sizing, after which the interferometer section can then be adjusted in a simple manner to the optical pathlength differences required for the specific function of the device. As an example, a passive polarisation splitter is described.
Inventors: | Diemeer; Martinus B. J. (Zoetermeer, NL) |
Assignee: | Koninklijke PTT Nederland N.V. (Groningen, NL) |
Appl. No.: | 963842 |
Filed: | October 20, 1992 |
Nov 01, 1991[NL] | 9101835 |
Current U.S. Class: | 385/11; 385/14; 385/45; 385/132 |
Intern'l Class: | G02B 006/10 |
Field of Search: | 385/11,14,28,45,129,130,131,132,39 |
4772083 | Sep., 1988 | Ahmed | 385/37. |
5007696 | Apr., 1991 | Thackara et al. | 385/132. |
5039186 | Aug., 1991 | Man et al. | 385/122. |
5056883 | Oct., 1991 | Diemeer et al. | 385/8. |
5064264 | Nov., 1991 | Ducharme et al. | 385/130. |
5093883 | Mar., 1992 | Yoon et al. | 385/130. |
Foreign Patent Documents | |||
0444721A1 | Sep., 1991 | EP. |
K. G. Han et al, "Ti:LiNbO.sub.3 polarization slitters using an asymmetric branching waveguide", Jul. 15, 1991, pp. 1086-1088, Optics Letters, vol. 16, No. 14. D. Jungbauer, et al, "Second-order nonlinear optical properties and relaxation characteristics of poled linear epoxy polymers with tolane chromophores", Jun. 15, 1991, pp. 8011-8017, Journal of Applied Physics. J. W. Wu, "Birefringent and electro-optic effects in poled polymer films: steady-state and transient properties", Jan. 1991, pp. 142-151, Journal of the Optical Society of America. J. I. Thackara, et al, "Advances in Organic Electro-Optic Devices", Dec. 1987, pp. 19-27, Nonlinear Optical Properties of Polymers Symposium. |